The Ninth restaurant opens on Charlotte Street

Jun Tanaka’s debut offers French-Mediterranean food

Nine is a significant number for Jun Tanaka. Having worked in eight kitchens of the highest calibre (from Le Gavroche to The Restaurant Marco Pierre White) during his 20-year career, the American born, Japanese-British chef has chosen to call his first restaurant and sole venture as head chef and owner simply The Ninth. It officially opens on London’s Charlotte Street on Monday November 23, but bookings are being taken from this week, beginning Monday November 9.

Set over two floors, The Ninth will offer understated French-Mediterranean food, with starters and shared plates such as razor clam ceviche, pickled mussels with smoked paprika, cured veal tongue and oxtail croquettes, and rabbit lasagne with smoked bacon. Larger dishes are to include salted beef cheeks with oxtail consommé, lamb en croute with truffles and whole sea bream with anchovy dressing.

Image: Palida Boonyarungsrit

However hearty and meaty these sound, The Ninth will be a great place for vegetarians – vegetables are less supporting act, more star of the show, with dishes that include smoked aubergine caviar with pickled red onion, Jerusalem artichokes à la Barigoule and toasted fregola and butternut squash risotto with pumpkin seeds.

As for puddings, think French classics with a twist, such as pain perdu with honeycomb and tarte tatin with rosemary ice cream.

During his two decades in the kitchen, Tanaka says he learnt the most from two chefs in particular. “I was Eric Chavot’s sous chef at The Capital for two years and he would go through the ingredients I used, one by one, and challenge me about why each one was on the plate.” Avoiding too much machismo in the kitchen is another key lesson he picked up: “Joel Antunes at Les Saveurs was one of the most creative chefs I’ve ever worked for, and he managed to produce amazing food without the aggression in the kitchen – and I really admire that.”

Fine food, ebullient chef and a top location? Who knows when Tanaka’s The Tenth and The Eleventh will open their doors.